CarL1 Wilmington Blue Rocks

Duffy Dominates For Series Victory

Published on July 24, 2009 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Wilmington Blue Rocks News Release


Myrtle Beach, SC - Danny Duffy outdueled a rehabbing Tim Hudson as the Blue Rocks won a rubber match in Myrtle Beach, 5-3. The 20-year-old southpaw allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits and a walk over 6.2 innings for his team-best eighth victory. The reigning Carolina League Pitcher of the Week struck out five. Clint Robinson went 3-for-3 with two RBIs and a walk while Mike Moustakas snapped an 0-for-34 skid with a triple. The Blue Rocks (51-44, 13-13) took two of three on their final trip to the Palmetto State and posted the franchise's second ever winning record at Myrtle Beach (6-4).

Hudson (0-1) retired six of the first seven he faced until the Blue Crew chased him in the third inning. Ryan Eigsti began the frame with a first-pitch single through the left-side hole. One out later, Derrick Robinson singled to right and Johnny Giavotella put the Blue Rocks on the board with a bouncing hit over third baseman Chad Lundahl that advanced Robinson to third. Moustakas followed with an RBI groundout and Clint Robinson picked up an RBI single when his grounder took an odd hop on first baseman Gerry Rodriguez.

After Eric Hosmer bounced a single over first, the runner-up for the A.L. Cy Young Award in 2000 got the hook. Usual starter Cole Rohrbough made his first relief appearance of the season and stranded a pair of inherited runners with a strikeout of Nick Van Stratten to end the inning. Hudson gave up three runs on five hits and one walk over just 2.2 innings. Despite the suspect showing, he walked off to a loud ovation.

Meanwhile, Duffy retired eight in a row entering the fourth when Donell Linares worked a lead-off walk. Rodriguez singled to short thereafter and Jesus Sucre bounced out to the pitcher, advancing the runners. Chris Shehan singled to right and plated Linares for a 3-1 score before Duffy induced a 6-4-3 double play off the bat of Lundahl.

In the fifth, Moustakas tripled home Derrick Robinson and Clint Robinson singled in a score for a comfortable 5-1 lead.

What followed in the home half of the frame might make for the oddest play of the year. With the bases empty and two outs, Cole Miles dropped down a bunt. Duffy fielded and fired toward first but missed the target as the ball sailed down the line. Miles bolted for second as Van Stratten bobbled the ball in right. The speedster darted for third and Van Stratten fired from deep in the right-field corner all the way to third on a line, but the ball bounced off Miles' leg. After the diminutive burner popped up and dashed for home, Duffy collected the loose ball in foul ground and missed a throw home as Miles came all the way around on a bunt single. Duffy was charged with an error for his throw to first and Van Stratten received a miscue for his throw to third. The run went unearned.

Rohrbough kept his team in the game by facing one over the minimum after that fifth frame. Duffy (8-3) departed after setting down the first two batters of the seventh and Eric Basurto made his Blue Rocks debut out of the bullpen. Robert Marcial welcomed the former Florida Marlins farmhand with a home run to the short porch in left for a 5-3 score. C.J. Lee singled to shortstop and attempted to steal second as Miles took strike one. Eigsti gunned him down and Myrtle Beach manager Rocket Wheeler raced for base umpire Ryan Blakney. Wheeler slammed his helmet down to the earth as he met the man in blue at the edge of the right-field grass and immediately received the heave-ho.

In the eighth, Miles walked and Linares singled to put two on with one out. Blue Rocks skipper Brian Rupp yanked Basurto in favor of closer Brandon Sisk who coerced a 4-6-3 double play from Rodriguez to end the inning. Sisk worked a 1-2-3 ninth with back-to-back strikeouts of Shehan and Lundahl to end the game and secure his ninth save in 12 tries. He leads all Wilmington relievers with 58 strikeouts in 44.0 IP (11.9 K / 9.0 IP).

With all regular-season road games at Myrtle Beach concluded, the Blue Rocks will make the three-hour trek north to Kinston to wrap up another city series. A three-game weekend set begins on Friday night at 7:00 p.m. as Wilmington right-hander Alex Caldera (3-7, 5.78) opposes southpaw Russell Young (2-5, 4.25).

PEBBLES OF KNOWLEDGE:

Earlier in the day, the Royals promoted right-hander Jason Godin to Double-A Northwest Arkansas. The former Old Dominion Monarch went 3-0 with a 1.63 ERA in 13 games (three starts). After taking Rowdy Hardy's starting spot, Godin went 2-0 in as many nods. He allowed one unearned run over 12.0 innings in those starts with 12 strikeouts and a .195 batting average against.

Mike Moustakas went 1-for-4 with his second triple of the season and two RBIs. He leads the team and ranks second in the Royals' minor league system with 55 RBIs.

Johnny Giavotella logged a 2-for-3 night that included an RBI, a run scored and a sacrifice bunt. The former second-round pick has hits in 22 of his last 26 games. He has hit .340 (34-for-100) over that time to raise his average 41 points to .254, his best contact clip since April 13.

Jamar Walton played left field for the first time in a Blue Rocks uniform and made a nifty snare of a Jesus Sucre fly ball in the ninth. His last start in left came on Aug. 27, 2008 with Low-A Burlington against Quad Cities.

A controversial call resulted in Danny Duffy's first career balk in the opening inning. The lefty had Michael Fisher picked off going first to second but the umpiring crew made a balk call just as Anthony Seratelli applied a tag on Fisher's leg. Manager Brian Rupp offered his most animated objection of the season and pitching coach Steve Luebber ascended the dugout steps with his hands to the heavens. On a nearly identical play in the fifth inning, no balk was called as Duffy picked off C.J. Lee.

In two starts since his appearance in the Futures Game on July 12, Duffy has gone 2-0 with a 0.66 ERA and .152 batting average against.

The Blue Rocks tied a season-high mark by committing four errors.

The core of this year's Wilmington team improved to 2-0 against rehabbing big leaguers. On Aug. 5, 2008, the eventual Midwest League champion Burlington Bees beat former Wilmington Blue Rock Jon Lieber (1993) and the Peoria Chiefs, 7-4. Just like Hudson, Lieber allowed three runs on five hits and all three scores came in the third. But the Blue Rocks' first ever winning pitcher lasted one out longer than Hudson, going three innings. Five men started in both games for the Bees/Blue Rocks: Johnny Giavotella, Mike Moustakas, Clint Robinson, Jamar Walton and Ryan Eigsti.

No team has hit more home runs against the Blue Rocks than the Pelicans with 16. Wilmington pitching has allowed 56 total round-trippers, giving the Pelicans nearly 29% of that total. Five of the other six teams haven't cracked double digits against the Blue Rocks. Frederick ranks second with 10 dingers against Wilmington.

The victory lifted Wilmington to 9-6 in rubber matches. It has won six of its last seven such contests and eight of its last 10.

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Carolina League Stories from July 24, 2009


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